Traffic-signaling system.



E. W. KELLEY.

TRAFFIC SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION TILED DEO.29,1913.

1 13mm Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Witwaooeo :nnmnn w. KLELIEY, or nocnnsrnn, NEW YORK.

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Specification o1! Letters Eatcnt.

' Patented Mar. 118, 1&15.

Application filed. December 29, 1913. Serial No. 803,245.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ELMER W. KELLEY, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Traffic-Signaling System, which .is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to trailic signaling systems and an object of the same is to provide a system by which signals may be given along any street or streets of a city for the purpose of pointing out theroute which is to be taken by the fire apparatus, ambulances or other vehicles requiring that Q the traflic be cleared 'or vstilled during the passage of such vehicles.

To this and other ends, the invention consists in certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a diagram of asystem constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a detailedsectional view of the casing which incloses a switch at a signaling station.

According to this invention, there is arranged at a common point or central station such, for instance, as a central oliice of the fire alarm system, an apparatus through which signals may be selected from a number distributed over the city to point out the route of the ire apparatus to a fire or an ambulance or other similar vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the signals are in the form of bells 1, each arranged at a station, the stations being indicated at a, b, c, It is apparent that any form of an electrically operated or controlled signal appa'ratus suitable for the purpose may. he used. From the common point or central office which is indicated at X leads a common return or conductor 2 to which each of the signaling devices 1 is connected. Preferably each street of thepity is provided with conductor 2 to which all signals .1 alongsuch street are connected. At the central office, the conductor 2 is provided witha main switch 31 which in turn is connected to a source of electricity l. From the signals 1, conductors 5. connect with the switches 6, each conductor 5 leading from one of the signals 1 and connecting with one of the switches 8 which have a common connec-' tion 7 with the opposite side of the electrical source, the switches 6 being arranged on the switch board at the central station in proximity to the main switches 3, and in an order corresponding to the order of the signals along the streets.

It is apparent that a circuit is formed from the electrical source 4 through the common conductor 7, one of the switches 6, conductor 5 and its switch 8 and the signaling device'l and from the latter by way of. the common return or conductor 2-to the source of the electric current. At each station, the switch 8 is preferably arranged so. as to break the conductor 5 in order to stop the action of the signaling device 1 at such station. Preferably the switch 8 is inclosed within a casing 9 as shown in Fig. 2, the easing in this instance having a hinged closure 10 which is connected by a link 11 to the blade of the switch 8, the purpose being that when the closure 10 is closed the switch 8. would be closed and when the closure is opened, the switch will be opened.

Arranged in parallel with the circuit of each signaling device is an indicating circuit formed by a conductor 12 which is so connected with its conductor. 5 at the signaling station that, when the switch 8 is opened, the current through the indicator circuit 12 will be broken. This indicator circuit is also connected to the conductor2 in common with the other indicator circuits, the point of connection being such that when the switch 8 is opened the'current through the indicator circuits will. be broken. At the central station X, each indicator circuit 12 is provided with an indicating device'such, for instance, as a lamp;

13, the operation of which will be hereinafter described. v

The operation of the invention is as follows: Assume that the circuits illustrated in the drawings represent the signals along one street of a city, the signalsbeing located about two or four blocks apart or at such a distance that one of the signals will be audible at any point along the street. When an alarm; is sentin by way of. the

fire alarm system, which is preferably err.

tirely separate from the present systermthe operator at the central oilice, which is pref eraloly. also the central oflice of the fire system, first closes the main switch 8,

tliEfiwitches, .8 being under normal condi tionslalso closed. "The operator, assuming .that a fire alarm her in proximity to the c and d will light up, thus indicating to the central operator that their respective signals are in operation. When the fire apparatus reaches the station 03, someone is sent to open the switch 8 at such station, which causes the indicating lamp (1 to be extinguished, and the alarm at the station d to cease. When the la lfi'g goes out, the operator at the central station immediately opens all of the switches 6 and the main switch 3, thus causing all of the remaining alarms to cease. Of course, the operator, by determining the position of the fire apparatus, can cut out any number of alarms in rear of the fire apparatus without waiting for the signal from the station at the destination of the fire apparatus.

' While the entire system of the city might have a common return wire such as 2 herein before described, it is believed to be desirable to have one of such wires for each street with the signaling stations along such street connected thereto. It is desirable that the switch board at the central station should have the switches arranged in groups corresponding as near as possible to the arrangement of the streets ofthe city so that the operator may quickly select a route from any fire house to any alarm box. It .1s apparent that with this invention, the streets may be cleared in advance of the fire apparatus, thus shortening the time requ1red for the apparatus to reach the fire and at the same time eleminating all accidents due to the collision of the apparatus with other vehicles or with pedestrians. It is apparent also that the same system may be employed for clearing the way in advance of ambulances or other vehicles which are required to make excessive speed in large cities.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A trafiic signaling system comprising a plurality of signals distributed in the f streets of a city; the distance between the signals being such that one of them will be efi'ectiye as asignal at any point between any twoproximate signals, and means for operating the signals to point out a path for fire apparatus, or the like.

. 2. A tratlic. signaling system comprising aplurality of audible signals distributed inv the streetsof a city, the distance between any two proximate signals being such that one of them will be audible at any point between them, and means for selecting and operating any number of the signals to point out a path for fire apparatus or the like.

3. A trafiic signaling system comprising a plurality of audible signals distributed in the streets of the city to point out a path for fire apparatus or the like, the distance between any two proximate signals being such that one of them will be audible at any point between them, separate circuits leading toeach signal from a common point, and a plurality of switches arranged at such common point and each adapted to open and close one of the circuits.

4. A traflic signaling system comprising a plurality of audible signals distributed in the streets of the city to point out a path for fire apparatus or the like, the distance between any two proximate signals being such that one of them will be audible at any point between them, separate circuits lead- 5. A traffic signaling system comprising a plurality of audible signals distributed in the streets of the city to point out a path for fire apparatus or the like, the distance be tween any two proximate signals being such that one of them will be audible at any point between them, separate circuits leading from a common point to each signal, switches at such common point, each adapted to control one of the circuits. and a switch at each signal for controlling the circuit of such signal, at thatpoint. and indicating cir-. cuits having indicators at the central point, each of said indicating circuits being controlled by the switchat'one oi" the si nals and the switch of the corresponding signal circuit at a common point.

8. A traffic signaling system comprising av plurality of audible signals distributed in the streets of the citv to point out a path for fire apparatus or the like. the distance between any two proximate signals being such that one of theni will be audible at any point between them. separate circuits including said signals and leading from a common point. said circuits having a-common source of ener y and having a common return wire.

a switch in said return wire by which all ofcuits including said signals and leading from a common point, and switches at such common point for controlling said circuit, said switches being arranged in the order of the signals.

- 8. A traflic signaling system comprising a plurality of audible signals distributed alon a street of a city to point out a path for hre apparatue or the like, separate circuits including said signals and leading from a common point, said circuits having a common return wire and a common source of energy, a switch in said return wire by which all of said signals may be controlled simultaneously, switches at the common point each adapted to control one of the signals, switches at the signals each adapted to control one of the signals, and indicating circuits connected to the common return wire and each controlled by the switch at one of the signals, and one of the switches a plurality of signals distributed along a street of a city, separate circuits including said signals and leading from a common point, said circuits having a common return wire, indicating circuits having indicating devices therein located at the common point and in parallel with the signals, switches at the signals each adapted to open and close one of the signal circuits and one of the indicating circuits, and means at the common point for opening and closing any one of the signal circuits.

ELMER w. KELLEY. Witnesses 0. W.- DAvIs, H. H. SIMMS. 

